New Zealand wicket-keeper Robbie Hart admitted to a pang of regret when breaking a sequence of 85 unbroken matches for his Northern Districts side today, but it was only a momentary pang.

As Northern Districts took on Otago at Carisbrook in the State Championship, Hart was with the New Zealand side preparing for his fourth Test match, his first at home, and on a ground he has many happy memories of, the Basin Reserve.

Midway through last summer Hart would have been entitled to wonder if he would ever emulate his brother Matthew by playing for New Zealand. It seemed that Adam Parore would be a career-denying impediment to his advance.

Then Parore said he had had enough and retired.

Enter from stage left, and the plethora of contenders, Robbie Hart.

While his introduction to Test cricket was at Lahore when Hurricane Shoaib Akhtar blew the New Zealanders to their worst Test loss, by an innings and 324 runs, happier days came in the West Indies.

He scored 57 not out and 24 in the second innings in New Zealand's historic 204-run win for their first Test win in the West Indies.

Then as New Zealand attempted to stave off the prospect of the West Indies recovering to share the series, he batted for 142 minutes in the second innings to score 28 not out and help New Zealand draw the match.

It was a heady start, but now the prospect of a home Test is a new delight.

"It's really exciting to play a home series, I've worked a lot of years to get the opportunity to do it.

"I've always enjoyed it at the Basin. The atmosphere, this is a true Test ground and there's been some good cricket occasions here over the years, some good tussles with Wellington," he said.

While there has been some movement in the quality of wicket-keepers starting to emerge, Hart has not been distracted.

"I've just been totally focused on my own game. The minute you start looking over your shoulder it's not a good mindset to be in. I want to give myself every chance to perform," he said.

The West Indies experience had been a good one because of what was achieved but also because of the lessons he took from the tour.

It had been hard work mentally, yet exciting at the same time.

He said the experience of playing at international level had resulted in him lifting the work he was putting into his game because that was what the experience did to you.

Although New Zealand's players have been hit hard by the weather, Hart admitted that his preparation for batting in the Test starting on Thursday in Wellington had been helped by having to face fast bowler Shane Bond on "an average pitch" at Rangiora.

Hart said he had admired the Indian play for the last 10 years but he goes into the match confident New Zealand can compete with them in the two Test series.

© CricInfo